Synthesis and aqueous phase behavior of 1-glyceryl monooleyl ether

Synthesis of 1-glyceryl monooleyl ether (GME) has been accomplished yielding material of high purity (99.6%). The aqueous phase behavior of synthesized lipid has been investigated by using polarized microscopy and small angle X-ray diffraction. As a result, a partial temperature-composition phase diagram has been constructed. GME forms a reversed micellar solution and reversed hexagonal liquid crystalline phase at low and high hydration, respectively. The hexagonal phase coexists with excess water and is stable up to about 63 °C. These findings make GME an interesting alternative to glycerol monoesters in various fields of applications.